New Delhi: Athletes and coaches at the Delhi government-run Thyagraj Stadium have been complaining about being forced to wrap their training early because Delhi’s Principal Secretary (Revenue) Sanjeev Khirwar takes his his dog for a walk at the facility. According to a report in the Indian Express, the sportspersons have to leave the ground at least an hour early so that Khirwar can take a walk along with his dog on the ground.
“We used to train till 8-8.30 pm under lights earlier. But now, we are asked to leave the ground by 7 pm so that the officer can walk his dog on the ground. Our training and practice routine has been disrupted,” a coach told the publication.
However, when confronted, the officer denied any such allegation but accepted that he “sometimes” takes his pet for a walk but never on a routine basis. “I would never ask an athlete to leave the stadium that belongs to them. Even if I visit, I go after the stadium is supposed to close…We don’t leave him (the pet) on the track…when no one is around we leave him but never at the cost of any athlete. If it’s something objectionable, I will stop it,” Khirwar said.
When The Indian Express visited the stadium on three evenings in the past 7 days, they saw the stadium guards blowing whistle and ensuring that the arena was cleared by 7 pm. “We have to close by 7 pm. You can find the government office timings anywhere. This (stadium) is also a government office under the Delhi government. I am not aware of any such thing (an official using the facilities to walk his dog). I leave the stadium by 7 pm and I am not aware,” Stadium administrator Ajit Chaudhary told The publication.
But according to coaches and athletes, they have to train earlier in the heat since practice has to be wrapped up early. They said that earlier they trained will 8:30 pm or even till 9 for that matter but now they are left with no other option.
Built for the 2010 Commonwealth Games, the centrally located sporting complex is a multi-discipline facility that attracts national and state athletes, and footballers.
Many of them also said they have shifted their training to Sports Authority of India’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, just 3 km away, where floodlights are on after 7.30 pm.
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